Compulsory Relaxation on Forgotten World Adventures 20-Tunnel Tour
Friday 28 October 2016, 12:05PM
By Media PA
406 views
Review by Tristan Hooker/MediaPA
With a top speed of 22km per hour, the genius of Forgotten World Adventures’ Rail Carts is that you are forced to slow down, unwind and let the sights, sounds and history of the Forgotten World soak in.
The 20-tunnel tour, one of FWA’s most popular tours, is an all-day excursion through 20 historic tunnels along a section of the old railway line, running from Taumarunui to Whangamomona.
On the day of our tour, my companion and I chose a two-seater, motorised Rail Cart, which is in effect a golf cart, cleverly converted with railway-capable wheels. I was the driver of our cart and found it very easy to operate. Simply push the accelerator pedal (marked GO) to go forward and the brake pedal (STOP) to stop. If we had needed to reverse, there was a switch to change to reverse position. However, no reversing was required during our leisurely 80km journey from King Country to Taranaki.
If we had been feeling more energetic we could have chosen the pedal-powered option, the Rail Bike. However we were very happy with our comfortable choice, especially since there was a wee bit of rain and our wonderfully attentive guide helped us roll down the plastic sides and put blankets over our knees.
The folks at FWA have done an outstanding job of maintaining the railway line and placing information posts along the route, complete with historical photographs showing the thriving communities which used to live along the line. With the help of descriptions from our guide, we could almost hear the noise of the crowds in the photos, starkly contrasting with the quiet, rolling hillsides of our journey.
On this unique and unforgettable tour, I made new friends, learned about the history of the area and felt enlightened and relaxed.
I feel like I’ve joined a special group of people who have experienced this unique and enriching tour. If you haven’t yet been on a Forgotten World Adventure, I highly recommend you do so.
Contact Forgotten World Adventures:
Phone: 0800 RAIL CART (7245 2278)
Email: paul@fwa.co.nz
Website: www.forgottenworldadventures.co.nz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForgottenWorldAdventures.co.nz/
Contact MediaPA:
Phone: 0274 587 724
Email: phillip@mediapa.co.nz
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